Choosing the Right furniture for Your Brisbane Restaurant

Date Published 14th October 2016

So you’ve decided to open a restaurant in Brisbane. Anyone who’s attempted to do so should know just how many details you need to attend to ensure that your restaurant enjoys a successful first day. From designing the menu, hiring and training staff and applying to the Brisbane City Council for the correct business licences to purchasing quality seating, tables and booths, be prepared to put in a huge effort in order to ensure your restaurant creates a fantastic first impression. Here at Nextrend, we know how to help your restaurant succeed. Here is some advice on choosing the best furniture for your restaurant.

Always prioritise quality

When you’re on a tight budget, it can be tempting to select the cheapest available furniture. But restaurateurs need to take a long-term view of their purchases. Inexpensive furniture will not last, and wear and tear will quickly take its toll. Furniture is the one thing your guests are going to be using multiple times per day, so if you’re going to invest in something it should be this.

Purchase from wholesalers

Whether your restaurant is a tiny bistro or a gigantic restaurant where banquets are held, always try to purchase your supplies from a wholesaler. Buying in bulk from a wholesaler can save you a lot of money, and you won’t have to worry about having insufficient supplies when you need extra tables and chairs for a private function, or have to replace broken furniture. It’s a good idea to always have spare chairs, tables and bar stools on hand, so choose a supplier who enables you buy in bulk at a discount.

Nextrend Warehouse Packaging Bay

Nextrend Warehouse

Nextrend Warehouse 2

Nextrend Head Office

Ergonomics

The comfort of your customers should be your priority. Choosing restaurant seating is different from choosing seating for other purposes.

Look for chairs that are either upholstered or generously padded, or constructed with a firm material that has been moulded to fit a person who’s sitting down. Restaurant seating of high quality will always fulfil one of the above criteria.

Your tables and chairs also have to be in sync which each other. Their heights need to complement each other, and diners, whether children or adults, must be able to pull the chair close enough to make food on the table easily accessible.

Aesthetics

Nobody wants to walk into a restaurant that’s an eyesore, so the appearance of your furniture is crucial to consider. However, you should not have to compromise on comfort for looks. Once you have picked a theme and a colour palette, abide by it. Trying to squeeze in too many colours or design themes is a recipe for disaster and will result in your restaurant looking cluttered, messy or confusing, none of which will satisfy your customers.

Obtain a Fixed Footpath Dining Furniture Permit

Food businesses in Queensland will need to apply for a permit in order to enable their customers to dine al fresco.

The rules governing the permit are designed to make sure all users of the footpath are safe even as your customers dine outdoors. The rules indicate where and when certain things can be done on the footpath. The footpath is also divided into distinct zones.

Contact the Brisbane City Council if you are unsure as to which areas you can place your tables and chairs in, or whether a particular part of the area is zoned as a council footpath or some other kind of communal area. The Brisbane City Council can supply information pertaining to all types of food licences, as well as the types of permits that are needed to enable customers to dine outdoors or on footpaths.

Adequate clearance

Your diners aren’t the only ones who’ll be navigating the premises of your restaurant. You’ll have to ensure you leave enough space between tables for not only your customers but also your waitstaff to pass without having an accident or disturbing diners. Adequate clearance lowers the risk of broken plates or unfortunate spills.

If space is in short supply at your restaurant, you might want to opt for dining chairs with straight backs, since these enable diners to eat comfortably without getting back aches while still maximising the amount of clearance space behind them.

Nextrend’s furnishing ranges for restaurants and cafes

No matter what type of furniture you need, you can rely on Nextrend, who are experts in the supply of top-notch commercial furniture for virtually every kind of hospitality business.

Our showroom is located on Tufnell Road, amidst a range of industrial and residential spaces in the Banyo-Nudgee area. It is easily accessible from major arterials and there is ample parking on the premises. If you are coming by public transport, the Banyo Railway Station is situated to the north of our warehouse on St Vincents Road, by the Brisbane City Council.

Contact us via email and let us know how we can help. We will reply within 24 hours and provide you with a quotation enabling you to enjoy the lowest possible furniture prices and shipping costs.